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THE WHICHEV VIEW: Is Dacia about to shake up the European EV market?

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By WhichEV

Back in 2019, WhichEV carried a story that quoted the (then) CEO of VW saying that electric vehicles would require something like 40% fewer parts than traditional petrol/diesel cars… and that this would provide huge cost savings in the future.

It was ‘in the future’ because of the massive cost of batteries – and only once batteries became cheaper/power trains become more efficient – that prices might fall.

It can be argued that ever since then BMW and Mercedes have both struggled to put a competitive option in the market.

Looking at the ‘UK Top 10 Best Selling Cars’ over recent years, the average price is under £26,000, while the most popular car was a Ford Fiesta and the top 10 were basically all petrol/diesel (with the possible exception of the Tesla Model Y).

At the same time, the average price of the advertised EV has been closer to £48,000

Mercedes/BMW et al have all been complaining about ‘slow demand’ – without taking into account (a) the recession, and (b) the fact that their cars are £10-20,000 more expensive (like for like) as other EVs – because of battery costs

Something needs to give in the market

Someone needs to step in/up and release a highly affordable new EV – with 4 doors, sensible range – and a low, low price

Cue Dacia.

Using previous generation tech/batteries, this car should do around 115 miles, but they are claiming up to 137 mile range.

Remember, that data suggests that the average city-dwelling Brit drives around 20 miles a day – so this is nearly 1 week’s range ‘around town’.

The smaller battery means that a ‘stripped down/entry level’ version will be close to £16,000 – which COULD translate to a lease price around £120 a month.

In Europe, they will be releasing a mini-van version, with rear seats taken out for more cargo space – which could be good for local traders/handymen etc.

Read more on this story over at WhichEV…

PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: The Clean Car Club, from Wilcomatic

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The Clean Car Club is an exciting new service for commercial car and van fleets, from the industry experts in automotive cleaning in the UK, Wilcomatic Wash Systems.

Through their easy to use mobile app, you can find, navigate to and use any of their 550+ UK-wide Automatic and Hand-held Jet Wash sites, for up to 50% less than retail prices.

With customisable wash programmes to suit your needs, alongside monthly centralised billing, you can see who is adhering to your corporate wash policy and who is not. The Clean Car Club is changing the way organisations keep their fleets clean.

For more information please visit: https://daboom.app/cleancarclub/.

To enquire about getting your own Fleet Access Code to unlock the nationwide discounts, please reach out to sales@wilcomatic.co.uk today.

Data data data – The key for logistics and transportation businesses to meet their sustainability goals in 2024

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By Serge Schamschula, Head of Ecosystem at Transporeon, A Trimble Company

It is fair to say that the EU has certainly been in full ‘green mode’ in recent years, with the aim to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. And, in its bid to meet this ambitious, long-term environmental and climate goal, they have published a raft of sustainability regulations and guidance.

An example of one of these regulations affecting the logistics and transportation sectors is the Greening Freight Package, launched in June 2023. This package contains a number of measures – including the CountEmissions EU chapter, which creates a common methodology for measuring door-to-door greenhouse gas emissions and, in turn, requires an enhanced focus on sustainability reporting. For shippers, carriers and logistics service providers alike, compliance requires three things – data, data and yet more data. Serge Schamschula, Head of Ecosystem at Transporeon (A Trimble Company) explores this further.

What does this mean for the logistics industry?

The EU is aiming to enhance supply chain transparency and equip all stakeholders with sustainability data to factor into their decision-making processes. When it comes to sustainability, being data-driven is crucial. For instance, large investments within hydrogen, autonomous vehicles and exhaust heat recovery are just three decarbonisation measures that we see touted as ‘innovative’ and ‘industry-leading’. But these have limited tangible impact on lowering emissions – at least in the short term.

When it comes to sustainability, it’s crucial to look below the surface. Headline-grabbing decarbonisation measures aren’t always the most effective. And the only way to sort the wheat from the chaff is through accurate, in-depth data and reporting.

Scope one, two and three emissions reporting

The Greenhouse Gas Protocol (a global, standardised framework) stipulates that emissions fall into three categories – scope one, two and three.

Scope one emissions originate from a company’s owned assets, like the fossil fuels burned by their own fleet of trucks. Scope two includes indirect emissions from purchased energy generated offsite, like the electricity used to charge electric vehicles. Lastly, scope three includes all other indirect emissions from a company’s upstream and downstream value chain. It’s by far the largest source of emissions for most organisations – more than 70% of their entire footprint on average. For instance, the services of a carrier or logistics service provider would fall under their clients’ scope three emissions.

Until now, most EU companies have only reported on scope one and two – just a third measure their scope three emissions. But, due to the Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive, this is changing in the 2024 financial year. Under the proposed value chain sustainability reporting, companies will also be required to report on scope three, as well as their reduction targets and progress for reports published in 2025.

What does this mean for shippers, carriers and logistics service providers?

As scope three reporting is due to become the norm, we’ll likely see end-user customers pressuring shippers to decarbonise. Why? Customers will want to reduce their own scope three emissions, while preserving their reputations among increasingly environmentally savvy consumers.

Similarly, the services of carriers and logistics service providers are often a considerable source of scope three emissions for shippers. Since they’ll also be under more pressure to account for and reduce their emissions, they too will prioritise sustainability by voting with their wallets. This could mean contracting carriers based on their sustainability practices, offering longer freight contracts to carriers with lower carbon emissions or even paying a premium for lower carbon transport.

All this demonstrates that implementing a robust decarbonisation plan and accurate process for reporting emissions isn’t just the ecologically sound path. It makes smart business sense.

Reducing emissions – two parallel paths

In Europe, the vast majority of freight is still transported by road. When it comes to road freight, there are several routes to decarbonisation. One route is to improve the efficiency of vehicles and another is to boost the efficiency of transport logistics operations.

Obviously, a combination of both is needed for successful long-term decarbonisation. But EV and hydrogen technologies are still relatively immature, and require substantial infrastructure investment. Meanwhile, digital solutions to drive efficiency can be implemented now at marginal cost and with hardly any upfront investment. So, it makes sense for shippers and carriers to first ensure their operations are as efficient as possible. This means reducing empty mileage, tackling unnecessary dwell times and optimising operations in the yard – that integral inflexion point between the road and the warehouse. And of course, shippers and carriers should look at how to combine multiple transport modes intelligently to minimise carbon emissions.

How can companies ensure they’re making the right decisions?

To ensure companies are making smart decisions on decarbonisation – and to level up its reporting capabilities – shippers, carriers and logistics service providers will need to rely on technology. Although, this seems to be a big leap for many businesses. Transporeon’s 2024 Transportation Pulse Report revealed that 60% of carriers and shippers named AI as their top concern shaping supply chain management in the next five years.

To ensure accuracy, companies will need to rely on sensor-based (mostly telematics) data – also known as primary data. In recent years, the industry precisely measured 20% of its emissions – scope one and two – using this kind of sensor data. But it falls short on calculating scope three – the remaining 80% – with the same level of precision. With the automation and data analytics capabilities of a smart transportation management platform, companies should be able to solve this problem.

Given the abundance of data points involved in sustainability reporting, companies can further enhance accuracy and minimise employee workload by automating workflows. Similarly, sophisticated data analytics capabilities enable companies to capture real-time insights and make informed decisions throughout the process of managing transportation logistics.

But the road to decarbonisation is a long one, and there’s only so far that companies can travel alone. Adopting a ‘network’ approach is key, as it enables connected information flow between otherwise disparate companies and ensures that emissions aren’t measured in isolation from other factors. It also enables shippers, carriers and logistics service providers to work together to reduce unnecessary driving time by streamlining processes like freight sourcing, transport execution, dock scheduling, and freight matching. As the saying goes, if you want to go far, go together.

Photo by Mads Eneqvist on Unsplash

Harnessing IoT technology for stolen vehicle recovery

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The battle between car thieves and those committed to preventing vehicle theft is an ongoing struggle. Every day in the UK, an average of 159 cars are stolen, and the culprits are often professional gangs of thieves. This figure represents a 20% increase from the previous year in 2022.

In this high-stakes game, the role of technology in tracking down and recovering stolen vehicles has become increasingly critical for police and investigation teams. While established tracking technologies such as GPS have been widely used to combat this, they are not without limitations, and can often be thwarted by savvy criminals.

Gareth Mitchell, UK Partner Manager, Heliot Europe, discusses the role of Sigfox’s sub-gigahertz (OG-Wan) radio technology in providing a discreet, robust, and effective solution for stolen vehicle recovery across Europe…

The Challenges of Modern Car Theft

The audacity of car thieves is not to be underestimated. They have a keen sense of which vehicles are parked in garages, where they are located, and when is the best time to strike. In a matter of minutes, a thief can pick a lock and short-circuit the ignition, making off with the stolen vehicle without leaving a trace. And with the recent adoption of proximity sensor keys among new car models, duplicate keys can be easily programmed using inexpensive software, and a car can be stolen in less than five minutes. Trucks, trailers, and construction site equipment, such as excavators and power generators, are also prime targets for these organised gangs, with this criminal activity costing the construction industry around £800 million annually.

According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS), 130,389 vehicles were stolen in 2022 alone, highlighting the scale of the problem in the UK. Once stolen, thieves often move the goods rapidly, and often across international borders, which makes timing critical when responding to this criminal activity. This is where investigation teams and police forces come into play, to locate and secure the stolen vehicles before they reach international borders, where they are often broken into parts to pass through border controls more easily.

The Evolution of Tracking Technology

Commonly known systems such as GPS tracking, LTE, WiFi, GSM-R, and passive tracking have been in use for some time among investigation teams and police to aid in the recovery of stolen vehicles. These systems offer various advantages but also have their limitations. A relatively new alternative, Sigfox’s Low Power Wide Area Network (LPWAN) technology, is gaining attention for its efficacy in stolen vehicle recovery.

Unlike GPS and WiFi signals that thieves are familiar with, Sigfox’s LPWAN radio signals remain undetectable and are less susceptible to interference. Professional car thieves have access to devices that can quickly detect and disable GPS, LTE, and WiFi signals using jammers. Such jamming equipment is readily available, and is relatively inexpensive. In contrast, OG-WAN based sub-gigahertz technology is more robust, transmitting signals reliably and conserving energy at the same time. This resilience stems from the unique properties of LPWAN technology, which allows the transmission of small data packets over vast distances with minimal interference securely.

Undetectable and Energy-Efficient

One crucial aspect of stolen vehicle recovery is the ability of tracking systems to remain undetected by thieves. These criminals often find and deactivate transmitters placed in conspicuous locations within vehicles, such as the glove compartment or fuse box. Traditional tracking technologies, including GPS, have a disadvantage in this application due to their comparatively high energy consumption. They require a power source for continuous operation and are usually limited to easily accessible installation points, which thieves are well aware of.

In contrast, OG-Wan radio technology is comparatively more compact, and its low-energy transmitters can operate for up to four years without maintenance, without needing an additional power source from the vehicle’s battery. This feature allows for installation in hidden and less accessible areas of the vehicle, such as cavities in the vehicle underbody or within the engine compartment, which the thieves are unable to detect, resulting in the faster recovery of the vehicle.

Wide-Spanning Network Coverage

The Sigfox network is available almost nationwide in many European countries, including the DACH region, France, Spain, Portugal, Italy, the Czech Republic, Croatia, and the Baltic States. Sigfox is continuously expanding its network, even into Eastern European countries like Poland, Romania, and Hungary. One notable initiative includes the expansion of the Sigfox network along the Trans-European Rail Corridor. Sigfox’s recent acquisition of network operations in Denmark and the UK further enhances network expansion, making it an attractive choice for international stolen vehicle tracking for investigation teams across the continent.

The frequency range in which Sigfox operates, 868 MHz, enables signals to cover distances up to around 30 miles. This wide reach is particularly beneficial in rural areas where the standard mobile network’s expansion is often limited. Furthermore, the radio signals are capable of penetrating materials like concrete ceilings and steel, making them highly effective in challenging environments. This makes it possible to track a stolen car across international borders, even in the event that the thieves have taken precautions to disable any tracking devices in the car itself.

Multi-Layered Security

In the realm of stolen vehicle recovery, diversifying tracking technologies is key. It is recommended to rely on multiple technologies, since thieves adapt quickly and find ways to circumvent them. Sigfox’s radio technology and LPWAN stands out as a valuable addition to the arsenal of tracking systems. It excels precisely where thieves feel most secure, making it a particularly intriguing technology for the investigation and insurance industry.

Conclusion

The battle against car theft continues to evolve and is on the rise, with criminals becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. However, as technology progresses, investigators and the police are becoming better equipped to locate and recover stolen vehicles.

Sub-gigahertz radio technology offers a discreet and robust solution for tracking stolen vehicles, allowing investigation teams to operate effectively in this high-stakes game. With the Sigfox network’s extensive coverage and resilience, stolen vehicles can be located even in remote locations and across international borders. As car thieves adapt, the multi-layered security approach that incorporates Sigfox technology proves to be a vital tool in the fight against vehicle theft. With the right technology and tools, it is possible to retrieve stolen cars more effectively, providing car owners, leasing companies, and insurance firms with a better chance of recovering their prized possessions.

Photo by Ivana Cajina on Unsplash

THE WHICHEV VIEW: One million battery EVs are now registered for the UK’s roads – Where next?

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By WhichEV

January 2024, the UK automotive sector marked a significant milestone with the registration of the country’s millionth battery electric vehicle (BEV), highlighting a growing trend towards greener transportation. This achievement coincided with an 8.2% increase in new car registrations, totalling 142,876 units, marking the strongest start to a year since 2020 and continuing an 18-month streak of growth.

However, this rise was predominantly seen in the fleet market, which surged by 29.9%, in contrast to a 15.8% decline in private retail sales.

BEVs accounted for 20,935 of the new registrations in January, up 21% from the previous year, bringing the total BEV registrations to 1,001,677 since records began. Despite this growth, the BEV market share of 14.7% for January was slightly lower than the overall performance in 2023. The industry also saw an increase in plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations by 31.1%, while hybrid vehicle (HEV) registrations experienced a minor decrease.

For a deeper dive on this story, head over to WhichEV.

THE WHICHEV VIEW: Ioniq 5 N NPX1 revealed by Hyundai

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By WhichEV

Hyundai Motor Company has been pioneering in the car market since its inception in 1967 – and it has just made a splash at the Tokyo Auto Salon 2024 with the unveiling of the ‘IONIQ 5 N NPX1.’

This concept model, laden with prototype N Performance Parts – aimed at enhancing the high-performance electric vehicle (EV) experience. The resulting vehicle looks serious and promises a boost in performance and handling. Hyundai is looking to develop and release ‘N’ variants of future EVs.

The venture into N Performance Parts was first launched in 2019, and marks Hyundai’s ongoing dedication to high-quality tuning parts for its customers. This particular journey began in the ICE-age with vehicles like the Elantra N, i30 N, and i20 N.

Read more about the new model over at WhichEV…

The importance of good data & reporting in fleet operations

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By BrightOrder

Reporting, Data and Analysis

We recognise that high level executives require accurate reporting, data capture, and analysis available in real-time. Now this information is available from anywhere, to everywhere with an internet connection. At BrightOrder our maintenance management system, EMDECS was created to address these very issues. 

Whatever the Breadth of Your Operation

We know the importance of getting good data and reporting into the hands of decision makers who manage medium to large to enterprise level fleets. EMDECS gives you peace of mind due to its variety, versatility and customisation of reporting available.

Eliminate Wasted Time

Many companies are still trying to get on using outdated systems or trying to retrieve critical data from multiple pieces of software and doing their own analysis and hoping it is right. So much time is being wasted. Our method utilises a stand alone all in one system. Just think about how much wasted time and effort would be eliminated with centralised information and transparency. We are able to fit our software to meet your needs and even offer optional software customisations, integrations, and more to better manage anything and everything you desire. For larger companies we are able to customise the software to fit your preferred specifications.

For Compliance Issues

We are an accredited DVSA Earned Recognition host provider. With a simple platform to facilitate and manage your maintenance operations across your fleet, you can access, monitor and realise standards across your fleet across reporting KPIs. And you are not wasting time waiting for managers to send in information and risk issues as with our system it is all automated.

Feel free to arrange a meeting with Jason Schurek, BrightOrder’s Senior Account Executive and Richard Smyth, BrightOrder’s Director of Relations, to chat about the many advantages of BrightOrder’s EMDECS.

Find out more about BrightOrder.

The TranSend Advantage: Unlock the full potential of your fleet

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By Civica

What could your organisation achieve if your admin time was halved? Your team could focus on more critical tasks, saving costs and redistributing resources.

Organisations across the UK are doing just that by switching to TranSend Fleet Management. With TranSend’s single cloud ecosystem, they have slashed admin time by 50% whilst also improving compliance, increasing customer satisfaction, and revolutionising their operations.

Improve Efficiency and Compliance

TranSend is your key to enhanced operational efficiency. By automating processes and eliminating paperwork, TranSend allows you to redirect your focus and prioritise more important tasks. TranSend does more than just streamlining operations; it also optimises your compliance procedures, making it easier to keep your fleet in line with regulations, all within a single, user-friendly platform. Furthermore, a remote server removes strain on your internal IT resources and the need for costly servers.

Asset Management Excellence

The ever-evolving nature of fleet management demands a solution that adapts to your changing needs and maximises the value of your fleet assets. TranSend can support you in proactively managing your entire fleet of vehicles, trailers, and equipment. It empowers you to keep track of critical asset information, set alerts for upcoming services, and control maintenance costs.

Data-Driven Decision-Making

TranSend gives you the power to make smarter, more educated decisions. Real-time visibility through its intuitive dashboards provides critical insights into your fleet, helping you make informed choices. The cloud platform is accessible on any browser, allowing instant collaboration and data sharing with remote teams. TranSend empowers you to analyse data efficiently, lower costs, reduce fleet downtime and enhance overall organisational management.

If you would like to learn more about how TranSend Fleet Management can support your organisation, please visit our website and get in touch.

THE WHICHEV VIEW: Petrol Vs Public Charging Vs Home Charging – Compared

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By WhichEV

As part of its EV Answers series of articles, the expert team at WhichEV take a look at a small commercial vehicles and the fuel cost differences from fossil fuel to public charging to ‘at base’ charging…

Petrol

First, let’s consider range. If you recently decided to fill a 50 litre tank with petrol at £1.55 per litre, then it will have cost you £77.50. That is around 11 gallons and the average petrol vehicle will do around 36 miles per gallon – so that tank will get you just shy of 400 miles. Older, less efficient vehicle that spend most of their time at 20 mph in traffic will get closer to 30 miles per gallon, or even less – so a range of 330 miles for £77.50. Doing the calculation, we have a cost per mile with petrol of 19p to 23p.

Public Charging

You will find some chargers close to 50p per kWh, but maybe the price will be higher. We’ll use 60p for this cost calculation and imagine that you’re using a charger capable of delivering a steady 100kW. Filling a 61.7kWh battery like this, will probably get you to 80% in around 30 minutes, but the last 20% could take another 20-30 minutes as charger technology slows the process as the battery gets full.

Either way, you can pick up 61.7kWh of charge for £37.02. Most drivers do their miles in town and on smaller A roads, where you’re more likely to get close to 270 miles on a charge. To match the range of the petrol vehicle, you’d need to add up to 25% more charge – which would be another £9.23 for a total of £46.28.

Charging at Base

There are various ‘overnight saver tariffs’ to choose from. We will use 9.5p/kWh for 7 hours, but there are other deals available at the time of going to press. Local production from wind/solar as well as battery storage on site can also make a difference to the calculation.

Starting from empty at mid-night, you would pick up 49kWh at £4.65 and then you’ll need to finish with the last 12.1kWh at around 30p each once your overnight rate expires. That’s a total to fill up in one sitting of £8.28. You will need to pick up an additional 15kWh on the second evening – if you want to balance the ranges. That can be done overnight for £1.43.

Cost per mile

Another way to look at the same data, is to calculate the fuel cost per mile for driving 330 miles:-

23p        Petrol

14p        Public Charging

2.9p       Home Charging (E-On)

Before committing to an EV, do some calculations yourself and shop around for a good tariff that makes sense for your lifestyle. Prices are volatile, so our comparison is for guidance only.

Head over to WhichEV to read the full story!

Reduce downtime & increase transparency with better Fleet Maintenance Management

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By BrightOrder

Smart management knows that being proactive is always less costly than being reactive. But outside of standard Preventative Maintenance practices for fleets, what does this really entail in 2023 for the transport industry?

For over 25 years, BrightOrder and its cloud-based maintenance software, EMDECS, has been continually improving how fleets handle maintenance management. And proactivity for BrightOrder means centralised information that provides true transparency and insight to your operations. This means digitisation of work orders and inventory management, live tracking of labour and parts, multi-location management and scalability for your specific needs.

This is an ecosystem that includes everyone involved in the maintenance process to reduce communication silos. It includes 3rd party integrations with tools your operations wants or needs to connect with. EMDECS is also a DVSA Validated IT Systems Provider so driver and vehicle data is seamlessly communicated with governing bodies further reducing friction on your operations.

So what’s stopping you from being more proactive, from building better operations? Reach out to us to set up a call or even a demo of our system.

For more information on BrightOrder solutions check out our website, here.